harness racing

Press Release:

Batavia, NY ---  Witch Is Bettor, Eagle Way and Indulge Me, all driven by Jim Morrill Jr., won their respective divisions in New York Sire Stakes action, Friday Night (Aug. 28) at Batavia Downs Casino.

Almost $200,000 in New York Sire Stakes money was up for grabs for the 3-year-old pacing fillies.

The fastest and most impressive winner was Witch Is Bettor, who just missed the Downs track record, when she scored under wraps by four lengths in 1:54.2, just missing Isabella Blue Chip’s 1:54.1 record.

Coming to the half Witch Is Bettor and Morrill unleashed a powerful three-wide brush to assume command heading into the clubhouse turn and coast to victory--not bad considering the temperature was an unseasonably cool 65 degrees.
 
“She got a little grabby so I tipped her out and let her pace, I didn’t want to sit behind the 4-horse (Keep It Fair) so I went on with it,” Morrill said, “ If I had known we could have broke the record I would have let her pace a little more.”

The Bettor’s Delight-Witch Hanover filly is owned and trainer by Robert Horowitz and Jerrold Spitzberg of New Jersey. The win was Witch is Bettor’s sixth of the season and raised her 2009 earnings to over $142,000.

Eagle Way, going off an overwhelming favorite started off the trifecta of Sire Stakes races when she took the short around to win in 1:56.1 by 1-1/4 lengths. Getting away second Morrill sat the pocket behind Up Front Kellie Jo (Wally Hennessey), angled to the passing lane as the field turned for home to win going away.

“We were going so slow I thought Wally’s filly would carry me and she did” Morrill said.

The Dream Away-Western Dancer filly notched her fifth win of the season for owner Frank Dettore Horse Racing LLC of Ohio. Mark Ford is the conditioner. Her 2009 bankroll stands at over $158,000.

The photo camera was needed to decide the order of finish in final stakes event of the evening as three very talented fillies were charging to the wire. When the dust settled it was Indulge Me holding on to win over pocketsitting Perfect Launch (Greg Merton) and a wide All Spirit (Jim Marohn Jr.) in 1:55.2. Moving at the quarter, Indulge Me and Morrill put up all the numbers to tally her sixth win of the year for owners Robert and Lauren Tucker and trainer Ed Lohmeyer of New Jersey. The win boosted Indulge Me’s lifetime earnings to more than $500,000.

The 2009 stakes season at Batavia Downs Casino continues on Sunday afternoon. Three Late Closers, also for the 3-year-old pacing fillies, will be contested. Sunday post time is 1:15 p.m.

Racing resumes on Saturday night, with post time set for 7:05 p.m.

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Press Release:

Batavia, NY --- Three divisions of New York Bred Late Closers for 2-year-old Colt and Gelding trotters were contested on Wednesday night (Aug-19) at Batavia Downs Casino. Each carried a purse of $12,700.

The fastest of the three winners came in the first division, carded as race number two. Aruba Vacation, a Dream Vacation-Dixie Hill gelding put up all the numbers en route to a 9-length victory in 2:03.4. Dan Daley is the trainer/driver for owners Howard stables, Ann-Mari Daley and Richard Lombarbo.
Locally owned Wrinkle This (Troy Boring) was farther back in second while Naughty Image (Dude Goodblood Jr.) wound up third.

Dream Vacation, standing at Winbak Farms, notched his second winner of the night, this time with Headingforaruckus for owner Dennis Robert Beaver. Kevin Cummings drove for trainer Kirk Desmond. Headingforaruckus got up to score by a ¼ length in a 5-horse blanket finish in 2:05.4. Vagra with Doug Ackley closed in to be second while Gunshy Kosmos (Ron Beback Jr.), who held a stretch lead, had to settle for third.

BJ’s Super Trooper (Dilibert Hanover-Yankee T) won the final Late Closer of the evening in 2:04.4 by a neck in tow to Jimmy Whittemore for owner/trainer Jeff Deslandes and William Bramer. Longshot Blues And BBQ’s (Dude Goodblood Jr.) led until the deep stretch and finished second. Signal Hill Ginger, with former Downs reinsman Mark Whitcroft rounded out the top three.

Pembroke Primo, moving up from the claiming ranks, closed from last to first to win the $9,000 Filly and Mare Open in 1:56.1. Kevin Cummings was in the sulky for owner/trainer John Cummings Sr. and Mark Jakubik.

Racing resumes Friday night, August 21. The first of 12 gets underway at 7:05 p.m. Batavia Downs Casino is currently racing every Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Saturday Night. For more information go online at www.bataviadownscasino.com.

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Press Release:

Batavia, NY --- Three divisions of New York bred 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters, with purse money of $12,700 each, highlight the 12-race Wednesday evening (August 19) Batavia Downs Casino program. The action gets underway at 7:05 p.m.

Race two kicks off the Late Closing action. Aruba Vacation, by Dream Vacation, starts out at 5-2 on the morning line for trainer/driver Dan Daley. Aruba Vacation has earned over $7,300 after making four lifetime starts -- three against New York Sire Stakes competition and one in the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga. Also entered is the locally owned Wrinkle This, a Wrinkle In Time colt who is already a three-time winner, his last victory coming at the Caledonia fairgrounds.

Division two is carded as race five. Another Dan Daley juvenile, Sun Island, figures to get most of the attention. The CR Excalibur gelding comes off a second place finish in a $30,786 NYSS event at Saratoga. George Ducharme, trainer of Downs 2-year-old track record holder Donttellmywife, sends out the Malabar Man colt He’smyman. Local reinsman Jack Flanigen will be at the controls.

Race ten will be the final Late Closer of the evening. Incentive Hall, fresh off a second place finish last Sunday afternoon in a $25,149 New York State Fair event, looks poised for a big effort. The Conway Hall colt is trained by Jim Mulcahy. Kevin Cummings will be back in the sulky.

The Wednesday program also features the $9,000 Filly and Mares Open pace. Jezzabell Hotspur, already over $65,000 in seasonal earnings starts out as the favorite. Sherri Holliday conditions the talented side-wheeler for owner Betty Tauber. Chris Page will be in town to drive.

America’s oldest lighted harness track is currently racing every Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Saturday. Simulcast action from North America’s top tracks is offered every day but Tuesday and the Gaming Floor, featuring over 600 slot machines is open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m. 

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Press release

Batavia, NY --- Scotts Roll Royce has been one of the best horses in Western New York this season and on Saturday night (Aug-15) at Batavia Downs Casino racing fans got to see why.

Stepping up from the claiming ranks, Scotts Rolls Royce unleashed a powerful burst of speed around the final turn to win going away in the featured $9,000 Open Handicap. The final time of 1:54.4 was the fastest pace so far during the 2009 Summer-Fall meet.  Jimmy Whisman was at the controls for owner- trainer Greg Luther of Ohio. The win was the 12th of the season for Scotts Rolls Royce ($18.40) and raised his 2009 earnings to over $53,000.

Triple Bars (Robert Verney), first-over in the mile finished a game second while Oh Gee Whiz (Jim McNeight), who led for most of the mile, wound up third.

Kevin Cummings continued with his hot hand (and bruised arm) guiding home four more winners to increase his lead in the drivers standings. Jimmy Whisman scored a hat-trick while Jim McNeight and Robert Verney had driving doubles.

Racing resumes on Monday night at America’s Oldest Light Harness track, post time is 7:05 p.m. Mondays in August are Seniors Night, Beginning at 5:30 p.m., all seniors 55 and over that swipe their Players Club card receive a free racing program and a $2.00 discount at the Paddock Room concession stand.

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino

Photo by Paul White

Press Release:

Batavia, NY -- The saying you can’t keep a good man down certainly applied to Batavia Downs Casino dash leading driver Kevin Cummings on Friday night (Aug-14). Back in the bike after a nasty spill on Monday night, Cummings won the featured $9,000 Open Handicap Trot with Australian Stock and the $7,200 co-featured Open II trot with Ima a Cricket Also. Both horses are conditioned by D. J. Millner.

“My hip still hurts and I’m all bandaged up (his arm and elbow) but I’m happy to be back,” Cummings said in the paddock before the start of the races.

Leaving from post-seven in the weekly trotting feature Cummings had Australian Stock quickly on the lead after an eighth of a mile but yielded the front to last weeks open trot winner, Jack Sparrow, and Jim McNeight. Not content with second, Cummings  moved Australian Stock back to the front at the three-eighths and trotted home strongly to the wire to score in 1:58.4. Jack Sparrow was a 1-1/2 lengths back in second and Manfromnantucket (Jack Flanigen) finished farther back in third.

“He’s razor sharp right now, once I got him back on the lead I didn’t think they would beat him, DJ’s done a nice job with him,” Cummings said in the Winners Circle.

The victory was the seventh of the season for Australian Stock, a 5-year-old son of Angus Hall. He raised his 2009 earnings to over $45,000 for owner David Slyman of Ohio.

Ima a Cricket Also, parlayed a perfect trip into a 10-1 upset score in the co-feature. Firing out of the gate from post-eight, Cummings was able to drop in the two-hole as the field entered the Clubhouse turn. Sitting in the garden spot until the final turn, Cummings pulled the 7-year-old daughter of Armbro Laser to the outside and was up to challenge pace-setter Joe Page (Tom Agosti) at the top of the stretch. Down the lane, Ima a Cricket Also, powered away to a 1-1/2 length score over a closing Cade Callihan (Ray Fisher Jr.) in 1:59.3. Joe Page finished third.

“Batavia Downs Live”, the 3 ½ hour live television broadcast debuted Friday night in the Buffalo market on the Universal Sports network channel 114. The races are also available on Verizon Fios channel 460 and off-air with a digital converter on channel 2-2. The broadcast begins at 7:00.

The Batavia races also available in the Rochester market and surrounding counties on Time Warner channel 98. Please be advised the races will not be aired on Saturday night (Aug-15), on channel 98, the show returns on Monday night.

Todd Haight
Promotional Marketing Specialist
Batavia Downs Casino